Ask a taxi driver in Prague to take you to a jazz club and you'll probably find yourself at Reduta, the city's best-known jazz venue where Bill Clinton took to the stage to play the sax during a visit in 1994.

Before the Czech Republic freed itself from communism, this was the only official jazz venue in the city. Run by the state, all musicians were paid equally and the quality of the music was secondary. Although this is no longer the case, the venue itself hasn't changed much over the years. It's formal, expensive and often rather soulless.

At U Maleho Glena in Prague's Old Town, on the other hand, you're so close to the stage you can see the beads of sweat on the musicians' brows. It's intimate, dark, smoky and intense - just how a jazz club should be. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are dedicated to the finest young players on the scene. It's been some time since the 1989 Velvet Revolution, but in the deliciously seedy depths of U Maleho Glena, you can feel the energy of this nation's new freedom.

· Reduta, Národní 20, Prague; U Maleho Glena Karmelitska 23; Prague.

Is it better to get foreign currency before you go?

Yes, you can get a better deal if you buy before you go - but only if you shop carefully. We checked the cost of buying €100 last week and got these results: from the Travelex bureau at London Heathrow: £74.29, over the counter at an HSBC bank: £74.20, which includes 2 per cent or a minimum of £3 commission. Using an HSBC account Switch card in an ATM on arrival in Europe: £72.27, including a 1.5 per cent handling fee. Over the counter at Thomson travel agents in Bournemouth: £71.94, zero commission. Over the counter at the Post Office: £71.48, zero commission. The best deal was online at www.travelex.co.uk, which promises to match the best rate anywhere in the UK: £69.97. Money ordered online 24 hours in advance can be collected at the airport.

How to survive a snake bite

Snake bite? Easy. Seen it in a million movies. You just suck the venom out of the wound, right? Wrong. This doesn't work and may make the problem worse, says Doug Lansky, author of The Rough Guide to Travel Survival.

First, take off rings or anything else that might restrict the impending swelling. Then keep the bite site lower than the heart to minimise the spread of venom. Keep the patient still. If you're in a group, the victim should be carried or remain with a carer while the others get help. The treatment is antivenin, and the faster you can get the patient to it, the better. If you're a long way from help, you may have to sweat it out. Your only chance with snakes possessing potent neurotoxins may be to tie a bandage about 5cm above the bite in the direction of the heart to slow down the venom's spread.